THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Patna, Nov. 19: Bihar is set for a major political event as Nitish Kumar returns as Chief Minister for the tenth time, reinforcing his unmatched longevity in state politics.
A day after the NDA’s sweeping victory in the Bihar Assembly election, Nitish Kumar met Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Wednesday to stake a claim to form the next government. His oath ceremony, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to be a show of strength featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers from all BJP-ruled states, signalling the renewed dominance of the BJP-JDU alliance.
22 Ministers to Take Oath Alongside Nitish Kumar
According to senior leaders, 22 ministers will join Nitish Kumar’s cabinet. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to get nine berths, including familiar faces such as outgoing Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha, along with former Deputy CM Renu Devi. Eight of these nine BJP members were ministers in the outgoing government, underscoring the party’s preference for continuity and experience.
The new cabinet is also expected to include one minister each from Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awami Morcha (HAM), and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM). These smaller allies are set to be rewarded for their contribution to the NDA’s dominant performance in the election.
The JDU, which emerged as the strongest NDA partner with 85 seats, is likely to claim 10 ministerial berths, confirming its position as the “big brother” in the alliance. For Nitish Kumar, this new government will further solidify his role as one of the longest-serving Chief Ministers in India; if he completes this term, he will surpass Pawan Chamling’s record of 24 years as the longest-serving CM in Indian history.
NDA Dominates Bihar Election, Opposition Shrinks
The NDA, led by the BJP, delivered one of its most decisive victories in Bihar, winning 202 out of 243 seats. The scale of the opposition’s collapse was stark—the Mahagathbandhan could manage only 35 seats, a dramatic fall compared to 2015 when the RJD alone had 75 seats and the alliance had 110.
The election also witnessed the debut of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj, which contested 238 seats but failed to win even one, securing less than four percent of the votes. Despite the poor performance, Kishor has asserted he would continue his political journey.
BJP Elects Samrat Choudhary as Legislature Party Leader
As part of the government formation process, the BJP held an important meeting in Patna on Wednesday. Samrat Choudhary, who won the Tarapur Assembly seat, was elected as the BJP Legislature Party Leader, and Vijay Kumar Sinha, winner from Lakhisarai, was chosen as deputy leader. Both leaders previously served as Deputy Chief Ministers in the NDA government.
To oversee the leadership election, the BJP appointed UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and former Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti as central observers. Dharmendra Pradhan was also present during the meeting.
JDU Unanimously Elects Nitish Kumar as Leader
Earlier on Wednesday, the JDU legislative party met at the Chief Minister’s residence and unanimously elected Nitish Kumar as its leader. An NDA meeting scheduled for the evening will officially elect him as the NDA Legislature Party Leader, clearing the final procedural step before he is sworn in.
The formation of the new Bihar government marks the continuation of a political era defined by Nitish Kumar’s strategic alliances, consistency in governance, and ability to remain central to Bihar’s power structure. With the NDA firmly in control and a wide coalition behind him, Nitish Kumar begins yet another chapter in one of India’s most enduring political careers.
